Cool MateDiscover vs Try to dig up
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Discover
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Try to dig up
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Discover
| Discover | Try to dig up | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈskʌvə(r)/","/dɪˈskʌvəz/","/dɪˈskʌvəd/","/dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈskʌvər/","/dɪˈskʌvərz/","/dɪˈskʌvərd/","/dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //traɪ tə dɪg ʌp//🇺🇸 //traɪ tə dɪg ʌp// |
| Meaning | to find out about something for the first time | To uncover or find something by searching. |
| Example | I want to discover new places during my vacation. | The investigator tried to dig up old evidence for the case. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | quickly, soon, suddenly, be amazed to, be astonished to, be astounded to, an attempt to discover something, newly discovered, recently discovered, quickly, soon, suddenly, be amazed to, be astonished to, be astounded to, an attempt to discover something, newly discovered, recently discovered, quickly, soon, suddenly, be amazed to, be astonished to, be astounded to, an attempt to discover something, newly discovered, recently discovered, quickly, soon, suddenly, be amazed to, be astonished to, be astounded to, an attempt to discover something, newly discovered, recently discovered | try to dig up information, try to dig up dirt, try to dig up facts, try to dig up evidence, try to dig up memories |
| Antonyms | lose, ignore, overlook | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'recover' – to discover is to find something new, while to recover is to get back something lost., Using 'discover' interchangeably with 'invent' – discovery means finding something that already exists, while invention is creating something new., Omitting the object when necessary – remember to specify what is being discovered. | Confusing with 'dig up' used without 'try to'., Using incorrect prepositions, like 'dig up for' instead of 'dig up'. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in both spoken and written English. Appropriate in academic, professional, and casual contexts, but avoid in overly formal settings where synonyms like 'ascertain' may be preferred. | Commonly used in informal contexts when searching for information or discovering something hidden. Avoid in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Discover vs Try to dig up
What's the difference between Discover and Try to dig up?
Discover: to find out about something for the first time Try to dig up: To uncover or find something by searching.
Which is more common: Discover and Try to dig up?
Discover is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Discover: I want to discover new places during my vacation. Try to dig up: The investigator tried to dig up old evidence for the case.
Can I use Discover and Try to dig up interchangeably?
Not always. Discover and Try to dig up are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.